Hello - my name is Mark - thanks for visiting.
Born in Annapolis, MD. Went to college in Salem, VA. Moved back to Maryland for four years, then to northern California. Fifteen years in the scientific instruments business. Lived in Madison, WI for three years, then the company asked me to move over to Japan. Lived in Tokyo 1989-1992.
Went back to Maryland again, then after a year and a half, decided the East Coast was not for me, and relocated to Arizona. Played guitar in various rock and country bands in Tucson, sunlighted [it's like "moonlighting", only it happens during the day] as a Web site designer.
Almost moved to NY for a girl, but it didn't work out. Started doing the Web site for the Reno Air Races. Bought a digital SLR and started taking photography much more seriously.
Got recruited to go back to Tokyo and worked for a radio programming company, building audio and video media for stores and the Web. Still did the Air Races. Bought more cameras and lenses.
Moved out of Tokyo down the coast to the Izu Peninsula. Ocean. Mountains. Space. Only a hundred thousand people instead of 12 million. I would commute to Tokyo and Hong Kong for work, but on weekends I could catch a train or a bus and explore Izu's rugged coastline, hike along its forested spine, or sit in the local izakaya and enjoy fresh seafood and great nihonshu [what non-Japanese refer to as "sake"].
Then, in July 2011, after 10 years two-and-a-half months in Japan, I returned to the USA to live on Colorado's front range. Couldn't think of many places I'd rather be in the whole world.
Why am I doing this site?
I just want to share with you a little of the incredible beauty of this fragile world we share, in the hope that you might be motivated to take part in saving it.
This is what we have. There is nothing else. What an immeasurable shame would lie on our generation, to destroy in our lifetimes the amazing web of life, evolved over billions of years, that produced and nurtures the human race and all other living things.